depraved

adjective

de·​praved di-ˈprāvd How to pronounce depraved (audio)
: marked by corruption or evil
a depraved attack
especially : perverted
the work of depraved minds
depravedly
di-ˈprā-vəd-lē How to pronounce depraved (audio)
-ˈprāvd-lē
adverb
depravedness
di-ˈprā-vəd-nəs How to pronounce depraved (audio)
-ˈprāvd-nəs
noun

Examples of depraved in a Sentence

the work of depraved minds He acted with depraved indifference to human suffering.
Recent Examples on the Web Horror films still offer a path to profitability on low budgets that no other genre can claim, which is why even the most squeamish filmmakers should celebrate the remarkable box-office success demonstrated by Damien Leone’s gory saga of the depraved Art the Clown. Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 25 Oct. 2024 Where to watch Killing Eve: Netflix 13 of 21 Luther (2010–2019) Idris Elba stars as the titular detective investigating brutal murder cases in this increasingly depraved psychological thriller, which is a spiritual cross between Dexter and The Wire. Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 29 Sep. 2024 These are two of the mildest things to happen in this incredibly depraved book. Jia Tolentino, The New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2024 What this already-suspect discovery spawns isn’t at all surprising — here are people who are steeped in their misery and their resentment — though the lengths Andrews goes to show us just how depraved this long-simmering feud has made these men does shock. Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 8 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for depraved 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'depraved.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

see deprave

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of depraved was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near depraved

Cite this Entry

“Depraved.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/depraved. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Legal Definition

depraved

adjective
de·​praved di-ˈprāvd How to pronounce depraved (audio)
: marked by moral corruption or perversion as shown by a capacity for extreme and wanton physical cruelty
the depraved state of mind of the murderer
the depraved nature of the crime

More from Merriam-Webster on depraved

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